You Could Have Been the Hero
by Charged Lightning
Summary: "'You chose him. Over me. I was your first friend, Arthur. Not him. Or did you forget that'" Arthur, the knights, and Merlin have Morgana bound and cornered, and she is to be executed at dawn. But she still has some tragic words to say to Arthur. Takes place a while after season 4. One-shot. Warning: Character death, in a dark way.


"'You chose him. Over me. _I_ was your first friend, Arthur. Not him. Or did you forget that?'"Arthur, the knights, and Merlin have Morgana bound and cornered, and she is to be executed at dawn. But she still has some tragic words to say to Arthur.

Warnings: Character death, in a rather dark way.

Disclaimer: I don't own _Merlin_.

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Morgana was cornered. She looked desperately at the chains that bound her wrists and flung her arms out, trying to break them. "Abeatan," she tried, but nothing happened.

"It's over, Morgana," Arthur said.

She glared.

"You can't escape now. Tomorrow, you will burn at dawn."

"You would do that?" she choked.

Arthur stayed silent for a moment. "Yes."

Morgana looked away. "Then you are definitely the monster I thought you were."

Arthur's face darkened. "No. It was you."

She scowled. "How can you say that? After all, you're executing me for being an evil sorceress out to attack Camelot-"

"I'm executing you because you are a threat to Camelot. That won't ever change."

"I only am trying to take what is rightfully mine!" she screamed. She snarled, then looked at the somber faces of each of his knights. Then her eyes landed on Merlin. Her destiny. And her doom. The one who had caught her and bound her magic by enchanting these chains.

"You chose him."

Arthur stared at her, confused.

"You chose him. Over me. _I_ was your first friend, Arthur. Not him. Or did you forget that?"

Arthur blinked. "I never forgot."

She laughed bitterly. "Oh, that makes everything so much better. You didn't forget. So you just decided that I wasn't good enough? Decided that you would still persecute me for who I am, but not him?"

"Morgana, that never happened!" Arthur shouted.

"You were a reincarnation of Uther. Until _him_," she spat.

"Morgana, I chose Merlin because he has shown me that magic can be used for good. You never did that," Arthur said.

"I never did that?" she retorted. "_I_ never did that? Tell me, Arthur Pendragon. Who grew up with you? Who tried, at every execution, to stop Uther? To make him see reason? Who begged you when you were little not to become like your father? Who pointed out _every_ example of magic that was used for good?" She paused and hardened her gaze. "None of that made you change, Arthur."

Arthur froze.

"And tell me what _he_ did. He stumbles into Camelot one day and saves your life. Then he lies to you, for years and years. He never _once_ tries to convince you that magic can be used for good. He even lies to you and tells you that it's pure evil, to protect his _secret_. His dirty, good-for-nothing little secret! Because he's a _coward_. And then one day, you find out who he is and forgive him because he's your _friend_. Then you change."

"Morgana, Merlin saved my life numerous times. He has shown his great loyalty and honor by defending-"

"You and your stupid loyalty and honor!" she spat. "What is it going to take for you to snap out of that? There _is_ no honorable way to lie, and no honorable way to kill! Which is _all_ he ever did! And loyalty means _nothing_ when it's to a monster like you!"

Arthur stared at her, his expression cold. "I would have forgiven you too, Morgana."

"Are you sure about that?" she asked dangerously. "Because you're pretty unforgiving right now."

Arthur kept his cold expression and took a step forward. "I am doing my duty, as a king. Tomorrow, you will burn at dawn."

Morgana parted her lips and gave him her iciest glare. "You don't get to kill me, Arthur Pendragon." She stepped forward, edging closer to both him and Merlin. "You don't." Then she elbowed Merlin in the back of the head as hard as she could and ran.

"After her!" Arthur ordered.

Morgana sprinted through the corridors as hard as she could, the knights chasing after her. Suddenly she her stomach dropped as she flew through the air and tumbled forward. Merlin. He was trying to catch her, but his heart wasn't in it, because she wasn't dead. Or even unconscious.

The knights, king, and Merlin surrounded her. The only place she could run was a staircase that led to the roof of the castle.

She tore up the stairs as fast as she could, their footsteps clambering loudly behind her. She reached the top and punched open the door that led out.

A chilly breeze nipped at her skin as she threw herself out onto the roof and stood up. One by one, her pursuers followed her out there, swords drawn.

The only one with no sword drawn was Merlin. Instead, he looked at her with tears in his eyes. She would never let anyone know, but she envied him, because in the end, his way had worked. His pathetic, cowardly way had worked. She could have been the hero if she'd been a coward like he was.

_I'm so sorry_, his voice echoed in her mind.

And then she felt a funny drop in her heart.

She looked to all of the knights, their faces stoic. Even Arthur's was. The wind picked up speed, and suddenly felt colder than before on her face.

The chains on her wrists clanked as she pulled her hair out of her eyes and turned to look over the edge of the castle. Despite all the years, the view was mostly still the same. Camelot hadn't changed much.

Slowly, she walked forward. And as she did, she felt a funny burning in her eyes_. '_It must be the wind,' she thought_._

The witch turned around to face her sworn enemies, and gave them one long, icy glare. "You _don't_ get to kill me." The cold wind died as she looked out over Camelot once again, then back at her enemies. "None of you do!"

Then in a fury she threw herself off the edge and the last thing she knew was the cold wind rushing at her face.

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A/N: Sorry for not warning about her suicide. I feel as if I would have spoiled it if I had.


End file.
